RIVER FALLS, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Despite taking an early lead, the UW-Eau Claire men's hockey team couldn't hold on and fell 3-2 at UW-River Falls tonight.

Ross Andersen (Fr.-River Falls, Wis.) scored both of the Blugolds' goals tonight.

The first came at 9:41 in the opening period on a power-play to give the Blugolds a 1-0 lead. David Donnellan (So.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) and Tyler Romasco (Sr.-Perry, Ohio) picked up assists.

Less than one minute later, however, River Falls' Steve Zierke tied the game with an even-strength goal.

In the second period, Andersen gave the Blugolds another lead as he scored at 1:56. Romasco and Jordan Singer (Jr.-Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) recorded assists on the goal.

River Falls quickly answered to tie the game up at two apiece with a goal at 3:33. The Falcons added the go-ahead goal at 11:49 and held on the rest of the game for the 3-2 win.

River Falls edged the Blugolds on the shot chart, 26-22, but the Blugolds held 9-7 and 6-5 advantages in the second and third periods, respectively.

Brandon Stephenson (Jr.-Saline, Mich.) played all but the final 55 seconds of tonight's game in-goal and finished with 23 saves.

Dropping their third straight game, the Blugolds fall to 11-9-2 on the season and 5-9-1 in the NCHA. River Falls improves to 14-6-2 overall and 8-5-2 in the conference.

Tomorrow, the Blugolds will host UW-Stout at Hobbs Ice Center at 7 p.m. Playing twice in late October, the Blugolds and Blue Devils currently are tied in the series this year with one game apiece.

-KM-